Mrs. Layla Jean Brooks Adkison, 92, of Port St. Joe, FL went to be with the Lord on Saturday, June 1, 2019 at her home with her loving family by her side. She was born on January 27, 1927 in Leonard, TX to William Tolar Brooks and Era Mae Parnell. Mrs. Adkison went to school and lived most of her early life in Leonard. She married Nesby Clio Adkison and they lived in Enterprise, AL, Vernon, FL and finally to Port St. Joe, where she has lived for the past 64 yrs. Mrs. Adkison was a devoted mother and instilled strong values in her children. She treasured each and every moment that she had with her family and friends. She did not like the limelight but was a bright light in her family’s lives and world. Mrs. Adkison had many hidden gifts and talents, one of which was cooking. She used her cooking gift to not only serve her family but her community as well. She served on the Long Avenue Baptist Church Food/Bereavement Committee and Kitchen Committee. She cooked and served supper on Wednesday nights at church in years past. In her early years, she worked at Christos Five-and-Dime and the Port St Joe lunchroom. She also had a daycare and janitorial business. Mrs. Adkison also had the gift of sewing. She taught herself how to sew and make clothes for her children as they grew up. She did not have patterns at times, so she would take old newspaper to create a pattern for whatever garment that was needed. She would then take flour sacks or pieces of material, cut the garment out and sew the pieces together. She could create and sew just about anything. She was a caregiver to many precious elderly people in the community. Mrs. Adkison was a member of New Hope Baptist Church in Enterprise, AL and Long Avenue Baptist Church in Port St. Joe. She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 71 years, Nesby Clio Adkison; an infant son, Jack Aaron Adkison and a sister, Billie Counts. Mrs. Adkison is survived by eight children, Ann Sizemore (Red) of Apalachicola, FL, Judy Rowe (Skip) of Valdosta, GA, Perry Adkison (Janie) of Atlanta, GA, Martin Adkison (Janice) of Port St. Joe, FL, Vic Adkison (Nan) of Thomasville, AL, Mary Dell Baker (Gene) of Mexico Beach, FL, Martha Daniels (Roy) of Wewahitchka, FL, and Chris Adkison (Traci) of Tallahassee, FL. She was known as “Mema” by 23 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren and 10 great great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. EST on Thursday, June 6, 2019 at Faith Christian Church in Port St. Joe with Rev. Eli Prine officiating. Interment will follow in Holly Hill Cemetery. Mrs. Adkison’s grandsons will serve as pall bearers: Greg Kembro, Chad Kembro, Jarrod Whitaker, Barry Adkison, Kyle Adkison, Clay Whitfield, Brooks Adkison, Mason Adkison, Noel Adkison, Brett Lowry, Bart Lowry, Blake Rish and Tanner Adkison. The family will receive friends at 10:30 a.m. prior to the service.